Burt Reynolds? Nuh-uh. Jerry Reed in Smokey in the Bandit 3? Nope. Whether Jackie Gleason himself conceived the turbocharged Trans Am somewhere in between Music, Martinis, and Memories and the early Eighties is uncertain, but we do know this. Given the proximity of the turbocharger and the four-barrel carburetor on top of the 301-cubic-inch V-8, we’re surprised any of these cars survived conflagration. This particular example of turbo Trans Am glory from 1981 was spied at the Scottsdale Russo and Steele auction. Orange carpet and map pockets on a black interior were almost as good as the hood-cowl-mounted normal, medium, and high indicator lamps. Euro-style Recaro seats tipped the scales. We know what you’re thinking: How would you know it was a Recaro-equipped Trans Am? It was labeled on each door handle. Recaro T/A. It hammered at $15,400.
